US bishops seek to educate about Jesus prior to release of Da Vinci Code film

Washington D.C., Mar 10, 2006 / 12:00 am (CNA).- In an attempt to clear up any confusion about Jesus and Christianity that might emerge with the theatre release of The Da Vinci Code, the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Communication Campaign has made available key resources with accurate information about Jesus and the Church.

The documentary “Jesus Decoded” presents authentic Catholic teaching about Jesus Christ. It will be available to NBC-TV stations for broadcast starting the third weekend of May.

The film, produced by NewGroup Media, offers a solid Catholic response to “Da Vinci Code believers,” concentrating especially on the first three centuries of the development of the Church. The program includes interviews with international scholars versed in art, history, and Scripture that help separate Catholic truth from popular fiction.

The Web site for the documentary — www.jesusdecoded.com -- was launched March 9. It includes articles from theologians, media commentators and art experts. Opus Dei will contribute to the Web site.

A booklet, entitled The Authentic Jesus, is also available this month. It, too, addresses questions raised by The Da Vinci Code and presents authentic Catholic teaching about Jesus and his divinity, the New Testament, Gnosticism, women and the Church, and other topics explored in The Da Vinci Code.

The DVD documentary and 16-page booklet are available for purchase. Call USCCB Publishing at 1-800-235-8722.